Pruning tool



Feb. 13, 1951 R. 1.. HUBBARD PRUNING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet Ji Filed Dec.15, 1947 Y WA} ATT EYS 05611, L EZ ZZm-d BY I with, 45

Feb. 13, 1951 R HUBBARD 2,541,063

PRUNING TOOL Filed Dec. 15, 194'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fiofier L.Hubara ATTOR Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRUNINGTOOL Robert L. Hubbard, Florham Park, N. J.

Application December 15, 1947, Serial No. 791,890

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to cutting tools particularly useful forcutting flowers in the garden or greenhouse, for de-tasseling corn andfor pruning shrubs and small branches of trees.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a cutting tool withwhich the user without stretching or bending may reach up, or down, orthrough a plant, to cut a stem and at the same time hold the stem afterit has been cut to retrieve the stem.

Another object is to provide a tool which serves to cut and hold the outstem and which has no parts to catch on intervening stems whilemanipulating the tool to the stem to be out.

Another object is to provide such a tool having a minimum of parts,readil assembled and disassembled, and having a readily replaceableknife blade.

Another object is to provide a tool that is inexpensive and is adaptedto mass production.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 shows partly in section and partly in top plan, a cutting toolembodying the present invention;

Figure 2 shows in a vertical section the tool of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows partly in vertical section the tool of Figure 1 after ithas cut a stem and while it is holding the severed stem;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of interior parts of the cutting tool ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a section taken through line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section taken through line 8-6 of Figure 3; and

Figure '7 is a view demonstrating how the tool may be hooked over asmall branch prior to cutting it.

A cutting tool useful for cutting roses, or closely planted flowers in agarden, or for pruning parts of a shrub difficult to reach, shouldenable the user to reach through the stems or branches to the stem thathe wishes to out without catching on intervening stems. So also, thetool should be sufficiently long to enable the user to reach through arosebush without his hands touching its briars. The tool should enablethe user to reach down without stooping, and to reach overhead without aladder (as in greenhouses) to cut the desired stem. And finally, thetool should enable the user to reach in to cut the stem and then bringout the flower with out using his other hand; i. e., the tool should M,and to handle it by a pin ll.

2 cut and hold the cut stem so that the stem may be lifted out by thetool.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pruning andcutting tool which has the above mentioned advantages.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, thecutting tool chosen to illustrate the present invention, comprises anelongated hollow frame generally indicated at In. Its squarecross-section is shown in Figure 5, Frame it has a cutting end,generally indicated at l, a handle end, generally indicated at 2, and aconnecting shank portion, generally indicated at 3.

Mounted for reciprocation 'in cutting end I is a knife blade 4 (see alsoFig. 4) having a slanting cutting edge 4a, and an operating shoulderportion 4b cut out to provide a yoke. The yoke, as shown in Figures 1and 2, straddles a reduced end 6a of an operating rod 5 inside casingI0. Shoulder db is held between a cupped washer 4c and a shoulder 62),at the junction between operating rod 6 and its reduced end 6a.

Reciprocation of rod 6 moves knife blade 4. Rod 6 extends the length offrame Hi and is reciprocated by a handle it mounted on the handle end 2.The mechanism for moving rod 6 by handle it includes a sliding toggleblock I (Figure 4) slidably mounted in frame it and fixed to the rightend of rod 6 as shown in Figure 2. Coil spring 13 around rod 6, pushesagainst toggle block 1 and against a sleeve ll, carried by rod 6.Leftward movement of sleeve 6 is limited by a stop screw Ha, suitablythreaded through frame It). Spring [3, reacting against sleeve llnormally urges toggle block 7 rightward, and so urges operating rod 6and knife blade 4 rightward, into position to receive a stem forcutting.

Toggle block 1, operating rod i5 and knife blade 4 are movable leftwardagainst the action of spring I3, toward cutting position, by a togglelink mechanism comprising lever l5, suitably pivotally connected totoggle block I by a pin Handle I6 is pivoted on the end of frame if by aremovable pin is threaded at lSa into the side of frame l0.

When thumb piece lea of handle it is depressed, toggle link 55 forcestoggle block '5 leftward, forcing rod 6 and knife blade leftward andmoving knife edge 4a into cutting position as shown in Figure 3.

Release of pressure on thumb piece lfia permits spring l3 to return theparts to the position shown in Figure 2. An extension l5a of lever ifblade g is V guidedby--opposing *inside surface lildof the frame it;Opposite edges fire (Figures r operation.

The direct mechanical connection between V handle l6 and knife blade 4,plus the mechanical advantage obtained by the action of the toggle linkconstruction, imparts suflicient force to the knife blade to cut throughthick stems with a minimum iofpressure applied toath'ethumb piece Ilia.Toggle' -block -l is shaped to slide-freely in and be guided by squareframe is, so that practically no force is absorbed in pushingtoggleblock 1.

Knife blade t operates against a hook shaped anvil extending from thecuttingi'en'df l 'of r frame It. When handle lfidsrcompletelyldeepressed, edge 4a of knife blade 4 'abuts anvil 5 so that a stem 26(Figure 3) held betWeenL'anv-il 5 and knife blade 4 is severed as theknife blade is pushed -forwardly into contact with the ranvila Anvil 5is shaped to form-.a-hooksso.that'ait maybe-hooked over -a stem-.l'tobelcutfthereby tosecurely grasp -.the stemprior to euttingrv The 1cutting edge ea of-aknife bladeeileisvslantedto accommodate the slant ofanvil 5.

Alsothe outside surfacefia of anvil 5 islslantedrz toenablethe tooltobe-pushed through branches Or-SlJmS-Of-3,1-bllSh to-reaehthe stemstobecut;

therslanting-surface=5a-serving to guide'the' tool past interferingbranches .or stems.

Knife blade /i is guided its :reciprocating movementlby contactWitt-1*insidewsurfacesof frame it. The outer main surface id of:knifeiisshapedto slidelin frame 18 beside knife blades a, and isreciprocated withthe-knife:blade=by,;= rod fitolhcld the stem againstthe anviiidurings and after-cutting To this endblock dismeewm.

chanically connected to rod 6 by a resilientoverw throw connectionasafollows: Reduced endmfict passes througha hole in a boss 3a and intoan openingylibin.thelblockim The coil spring .9 forces \z- 7 thebosssag-ainst laestoppin :ESc in-the reduced-1:

end and normally holds the block so-vpositionedw-v Therother end-ofspring. 9 pushes against washer" to, .operatingshoulder 4b and shoulderfibetol hold knife blade 4 in place against shoulder 613a,

Thedront end ilcof blocks is slantedto-con- V the stem after holding,block. .isstopped -bysthe- Stein:

Stem 20 thus held may be withdrawn from the bush from which it was cutand placed in a basket without being touched by hand. By merelyreleasing handle l6, spring l3 releases stem 20 and returns the partsto' their retracted positions and conditions knife blade 4 and anvil 5to receive a fresh stem to be cut.

Spring 9 Which serves to force block 8 toward anvil 5 need be onlystrong enough firmly to hold -.the.stem,it need not be so strong'as tocrush the stem'or otherwise damage it;

The tool as shown in the drawing is simple to manufacture and may bemade suificiently rugged that it can cut any stem or branch that can beplaced between anvil 5 and block 8. Anvil 5 is preferably-formed from astrong metal and is part .ofapiece 5b which is Welded, riveted orotherwise securely fastened to the end of case Ii].

The-assembled tool as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is readilydisassembled by the simple expedient ofi-athreadingeistop screws-1 l flcol fit' :toare lease sleeve I lwhich'iactio-n' rel-eases springs-13.1.Then, :by threading screw i 3 out of the caseiandc pulling ,itiromizhandlewl 6; the 'entii'erassemblyp; 'Withini'theframe,"mayzbe-withdrawnras :a unit. 7 In theswithdrawn'p0Sifi0I1j-knifE$1312,6515 may be replaced ibyslipping syoke see-.from"ibetweentr duce'd end 5a and washer' lc and sliding in arnewknife ibla d'ei The tool is readily assembled bi -merely slid-'-ing-block -B 'and blade l assembled on operating rod '5 into frame Wpast aneposition of stop screw-l fay Then stopscreivf lid is-thre'aded-into position't'o stop sleeve 1 l,andthetoggle bldck' l? is"pushed,- forwardly 'into -"fra1ne "l S 'against the actionofspring l 3to bring handle -l E into proper position for pin l8 tobe"passed"tl'irough the" frame it throughthe handle it and tlireadedinto the frame as shown-at 18d ini'Figurefl.

It lwillbe seen that the foregoing tool has the advantages heretoforementioned? 7 As many possible embodimentsiof .th'e' ipresent' inventionmay be made"withoutftlepartingfr om the scope-thereoffit' isto beunderstood thatjall l "matter set forth in this 'spe'cificationbr" shownin.the. accompanying] drawings is to be inter; preted as illustrativeonly and not in .a lin'iitinge,

sense.

I claim;

1. A pruning tool'comprisingqamelongated hol-I- low,franie rectangularin cross section, anloperating handle pivoted at one endrof the frame,an. anvildin v the. forms of a. hook vsecured itouthe other end of "saidframe and having a.widthlap-.. proXi'mating-that of theframe. andlyingawithin the geometric projection of said frame, .a holding blockrectangular Lint cross "section and slidably mounted within said frameand havinga holdings,

face adapted to abut'said anvil, a knife blade H slidably..rnountedwithrespect to .saiduholdin'g block-and frameandbetweenthe holding block;

and frame and havinga knife edge "adapted. to abut said'anvil, atoggleblock -slidablyniountedai in said frameyalink connectingisaid-handleiandV toggle-blockiand-aforming; therewithsa togglel link,--.- saidllinktbeing. receivable. within" said frame, :a connecting-s rod-securedterse/id toggleblock ands extending through saidi frame and ihtmarecessin said l-holding {block a lost-motion aconnection" between theconnectingrrodand holding-; bleek,-y

a sheuldenon said connectingrod; a yoke-likes proj eetionextendinglfrorn said knife ibladeyandu receiving eSaid connecting rodiaispring nerm-allyqg sholdineg the: yoke-like projectioniagainstzzsaida'wipes shoulder and urging said holding block forwardly against thelost-motion connection with said connecting rod, whereby as said rod ismoved forwa'rdly said spring moves said holding block against saidanvil, and said shoulder moves said knife against said anvil.

I 2. A pruning tool comprising an elongated hol low frame rectangular incross section, an oper ating handle pivoted at one end of the frame, ananvil in the form of a hook secured to the other end of said frame andhaving a width approximating that of the frame and lying within thegeometric projection of said frame, a holding block rectangular in crosssection and slidably mounted within said frame and having a holding faceadapted to abut said anvil, a knife blade slidably mounted with respectto said holding block and frame and between the holding block and frameand having a knife edge adapted to abut said anvil, a toggle blockslidably mounted in said frame, a link connecting said handle and toggleblock and forming therewith a toggle link, said link being receivablywithin said frame, a connecting rod secured to said toggle block andextending through said frame and into a recess in said holding block, alost-motion connection between the connecting rod and holding block, ashoulder on said connecting rod, a yoke-like 6 projection extending fromsaid knife blade and receiving said connecting rod, a spring normallyholdin the yoke-like projection against said shoulder and urging saidholding block forwardly against the lost-motion connection with saidconnecting rod, whereby as said rod is moved forwardly said spring movessaid holding block against said anvil, and said shoulder moves saidknife against said anvil, and a stop around said connecting rod, a screwin said frame for holding said stop, and a spring around said connectingrod pushing against said stop and against said toggle block, thereby tohold the connecting rod, holding block, and knife normally in retractedposition.

ROBERT L. HUBBARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 460,903 Woodward Oct. 6, 1891578,249 Letteer Mar. 2, 1897 775,649 Gregory Nov, 22, 1904 2,270,495Bernay Jan. 20, 1942

